BAY CITY, MI —Crying as they spoke, the widow and daughters of a man killed in a drunken driving crash told a Bay County judge how their lives have been altered, as the man who caused the death hung his head and looked on.

The loved ones of Beaverton's Elbert H. Nelson addressed Bay County Circuit Judge Harry P. Gill on Monday, Dec. 2, during the sentencing hearing for 26-year-old Ryan P. James. James on the evening of Nov. 11, 2012, was driving a 1999 Pontiac Bonneville on North Shore Road in Pinconning Township when he crossed the center line and collided head-on with a Chevrolet Impala driven by Nelson, 56 at the time. Emergency responders pronounced Nelson dead at the scene.

James in October pleaded no contest to single counts of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated causing death, operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated causing serious injury and failure to stop at the scene of an accident when at fault resulting in death, all felonies. In exchange, the prosecution dismissed one misdemeanor count of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, second offense.

Gill sentenced James to two terms of 75 months to 15 years and one term of 40 to 60 months in prison. The terms are concurrent. The judge also gave James credit for 263 days already served and ordered him to pay $500 in restitution.

Jamette J. Nelson, Elbert Nelson’s widow who was in the vehicle with her husband when he was killed and herself injured, was the first of those affected to speak to the judge.

“I was introduced to him on my 16th birthday, we were engaged on my 18th and he died 11 days after my 55th birthday,” she said. “This whole year has been rough. I miss him so much. He was my rock. He’d always reassure me when I was in a panic.

"There are so many things I’ll never be able to do, I can’t count them. I want him back. I wish this never would have happened. My life is forever changed. A part of me died with him on the side of the road that night.

"The last memory I have of my husband is of him lying in a ditch, not moving and then being told that he was dead.

"No one should ever die in a ditch.”

She added that her grandchildren miss her husband, stating one granddaughter in particular regularly kisses the box containing Nelson’s ashes.

Nelson’s daughter, Rebecca L. Grice, spoke after her mother.

“The death of my father has left a hole in our lives,” she said, adding that her children miss him and that, about three months after his death, she felt his loss acutely when she was home sick from work and he wasn’t able to bring her anything she might need while convalescing.

“I do not believe that Ryan James has learned from his mistakes and I think that he as a young adult has no regard for the law or the people he hurts while breaking them,” she said.

Amanda M. Wagner follower her sister in speaking to Gill.

“I don’t understand why he had to die,” she said. “I don’t understand why you got in that car. I don’t understand why you thought it was OK to drink and drive. You, killed, my, dad. Then, like a coward, you ran, and even on probation, you didn’t learn.”

As Wagner spoke, James brought his cuffed hands to his face and wept.

“You’re selfish and you’re going to be punished for your selfishness. I, personally, will never forgive you for what you did.”

The Nelsons’ friend, Barbara White, was also injured in the crash and suffered a broken back. She did not attend the hearing, but Bay County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Nancy E. Borushko read aloud a letter White had penned, relating her own continued health issues.

Afforded the chance to speak, James stated his condolences.

“I’ve been waiting for this day to tell Mrs. Nelson, Mrs. White and their families for how sorry I am for putting them through this,” he said. “It hurts me to know I’ve caused so much pain for these people. This was a freak accident you would never expect to happen.”

He went on to say that his heart is broken to think of his own 4-year-old daughter growing up without him.

“There’s not a day I don’t think of Mr. and Mrs. Nelson,” he continued. “I feel terrible for my mistake. This was a freak accident. Words can’t say how sorry I am. I’ve learned my lesson from this.”

Gill took issue with James’ description of the incident.

“You characterize this as a freak accident,” he said. “Mr. James, this isn’t a freak accident. First of all, you got drunk. This is the natural and probable consequence of driving a vehicle while you’re drunk. Secondly, this isn’t the first time. You knew better.”

James was previously convicted of impaired driving in Arenac County, Gill said.

Gill on May 23 released James from the Bay County Jail on a $150,000 personal recognizance bond, with the stipulation he not consume alcohol. Gill on Sept. 24 revoked James' bond after the SCRAM tether attached to his ankle indicated he had alcohol in his system.

“I was absolutely stunned to find out, knowing you were on tether, that you consumed alcohol while on bond,” the judge said. “That tells me about as much on if you’re sorry … as anything else in this case.”

Police at the scene of the crash located James’ driver’s license and went to his home. James initially denied being drunk and said his car had been stolen, police testified in an April preliminary examination. He later said he had been drinking, officers said.

Police took James to McLaren Bay Region hospital, where staff took a blood sample from him. His blood alcohol level registered 0.15, police testified. In Michigan, a person is legally intoxicated when their blood alcohol level is at 0.08.

Grice has filed a lawsuit against James and his mother, Carrie A. Mondeau, in Bay County Circuit Court. The suit is seeking $25,000 from the pair, alleging James was grossly negligent and that his actions "violated his duty to the public in general and to the Plaintiffs in particular," according to the suit.

Mondeau is named in the suit as it is alleged she owned the Pontiac James was driving and is "vicariously liable for the aforesaid negligence and/or gross negligence" of her son.

The suit states Jamette Nelson and Barbara White continue to suffer from the crash's effects.

The suit is scheduled for a settlement conference before Chief Circuit Judge Kenneth W. Schmidt in July 2014.